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Abstract
Changes in the adoption arena have led to heightened interest in open adoption. Educational group workshops and counseling may help persons interested in adopting a child and following through with an open adoption to address critical issues related to a successful adoption.
This study explored (a) whether prospective adoptive parents felt more informed and educated about the open adoption process after participating in group workshops, and (b) whether attending these workshops had an impact on prospective adoptive parents' understanding of the special needs of adopted children, feelings about being an adoptive parent, and feelings about birth parents.
Results indicated that, overall, prospective adoptive parents were more informed and educated about the open adoption process after participating in the workshops. They received knowledge and understanding of issues faced by adopted children, they reported feeling more prepared to be adoptive parents, and they were more ready to engage in an open adoption.
